Ghosts, Witches and Water

Lore

Ghosts can’t cross water. Witches can’t cross water. We all know this (or at least those of us consumed by the paranormal do), but did you know that the two superstitions come from two entirely different cultures? I didn’t!

Ghosts

So, in case you’re unfamiliar with the superstition, ghosts can’t cross water. In the lore, they’re even scared to come near it! In Washington Irving’s “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” the Headless Horsemen (as well as a few lesser know specters) are known to disappear as they near the bridge that crosses the stream. And we’ve all heard the countless tales of souls trapped forever on ghost ships in the sea.

            It seems that this integral part of our superstition’s doctrine comes from the Gullah people of the American Deep South. Decedents of African slaves, the Gullah, have added greatly to the culture, and as it seems, superstitions here in America.

            They believed that there were malevolent sprits called “Haints” that were set on doing the living harm. They would scour the land looking for innocent victims of their evil doings and no one was safe from their torment.  However, and most fortunately, it was believed that these vindictive spirits couldn’t cross water.

            But it’s not like everyone could dig a moat around his or her house. So in order to stay safe they took to painting the entrance to the house blue in hopes of tricking the spirits into thinking they were crossing water. Doors, shutters, porches, and just about any opening into the house would get the blue treatment. It became so common that the tradition lives on today in the Deep South. There, if you look closely, you can still see the ceilings of porches painted blue. I’ve even heard tell that if you go to your local Sherwin Williams, you can find a color of paint named, “Haint Blue.”

            Now here’s where we hit a bit of a snag. Why they believed these spirits couldn’t cross water isn’t very clear. All we know about Haints is that they were afraid of it enough that a celling painted blue would keep them at bay. But if we look at the lore of witches and water, we might find our answer.

Witches

The idea that witches can’t cross water originated during the witch hysterias in Europe. But only because this was the first time that witches were seen as something bad or evil.

            Prior to the witch-hunts, what we view as a witch didn’t really exist. The same women accused of cavorting with the devil were at one time seen as valuable members of the community. They were intelligent, science minded women that knew about herbs and medicines. But, for reasons I won’t delve into here, they were eventually labeled as being evil and worshipers of the devil.

            As for water, it has been seen as something pure and purifying since the most ancient of times. Some peoples believed that rivers were gods or created by gods. Others believed that heaven lie just beyond the ocean’s horizon. Water has always been at the center of sacred lore.

So put the two beliefs together, (witches are bad and water is good) and you get the oil and water effect! One repels the other.  Water is holy and pure and can’t accept evil to dwell in it. It’s the same reason why they used to throw suspected witches into water. If she sinks she innocent, the water had no need to repel her she was a good person of God. But if she floats…cry witch!

So…

Well, none of this really explains why a ghost couldn’t just float through a wall or why a witch couldn’t just find a bridge or use her broomstick, but that’s the superstition. In either culture it was clear that water was something pure, and evil whether it be a witch or a ghost, didn’t stand a chance against it!

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